


Old Business, New Complications

by afteriwake



Series: In So Few Words [212]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Anthea Cares About Sherlock, Anthea Worked For Moriarty, Christmas, Episode: s03e03 His Last Vow, F/F, Janine Cares About Sherlock, Janine is moriarty's sister, Lovers to Friends, Missing Scene, POV Janine, Past Anthea/Janine (Sherlock), Past Sherlock Holmes/Janine, Plans, Plans For The Future, Saving Sherlock, Tea, Video, shared secrets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-19
Updated: 2018-12-19
Packaged: 2019-09-22 19:34:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17065784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/pseuds/afteriwake
Summary: Janine and Anthea have tea the evening after Sherlock kills Magnussen.





	Old Business, New Complications

**Author's Note:**

> This is a prompt fill for **sherlockrarepairs** for the Anthea/Janine prompt, and uses a sentence from **fyotpprompts** ( _“So you are just going to smile at me, like nothing is wrong.”_ )

Janine looked at the woman seated at the table across from her as she set about pouring them each a cup of tea. She had seen her again for the first time in an age the same day she had met Sherlock’s brother, and honestly, Anthea, as she supposed her old lover was known now, was vastly more intimidating than Mycroft Holmes could ever hope to be, which is why she made the perfect PA for him. She had hoped she could have held a similar position for Charles, but…

No. Best not to dwell on any of that mess.

“So you are just going to smile at me like nothing is wrong,” she said, not without a bit of irritation, taking in Anthea’s soft smile.

“Actually, I was going to say you’re free, once and for all.” Janine’s hand jerked and tea sloshed over the side of her cup. “Sherlock made sure of it.”

“Do I want to know how?” Janine asked.

“Charles is dead. Our secrets are safe.”

A breath Janine hadn’t even realized she’d been holding escaped her lips. She had made one power move selling the story of her and Sherlock to tabloids not belonging to Charles for a hefty sum, and another by leaving his employ. Still, she had wondered if the secret he had held over her would ever get out. Being related to one of the country’s worst mass-murderers, the Napoleon of Crime, was bad enough.

Knowing she had helped him rise to the position before she went on the straight and narrow was quite worse.

She had never gone so far as killing someone; James wouldn’t let her. As psychopathic as her half-brother was, he cared for her. He had needed her assistance, her access to secrets, at least until they realized Charles was just as bad as James. There were few people that made him nervous; Charles was at the top of that list. James had let her go from the organization then, wishing her well in the future.

Days later, he was dead.

She’d considered using Sherlock for revenge, but the man she met through all the wedding rehearsals, who gave the most entertaining best man’s speech she could ever remember, who danced for her in the foyer...that didn’t seem to be a man who needed any more grief in his life. And, she thought he was kind of cute. She could see why James had been obsessed with him.

But they were done and now there was the news that she was free and clear, her past could be buried, and her ex-lover was in front of her saying it was her ex-fake boyfriend who had given her that gift. But at what price? Probably one that was too much for him to pay. And she had wanted anyone else to pay it but Sherlock. Even though he had hurt her, she still cared.

She finished pouring the tea and then looked at Anthea. “So...all our secrets are safe? Our ties to the organization, the fact James was my brother...us?”

Anthea nodded. “Safe and sound. The information was all in Charles’s head. Now that he’s dead, the traces are gone, as far as I can see. No one will ever know.” Anthea picked up her tea and took a sip. “But I need to ask a favour.”

“The video?” Janine asked. “From Christmas?”

Anthea nodded. “It’s nearly time to play it. As far across the country as we can. If we’re to save Sherlock from death, we need to be careful and play our hand. Secretly, of course, or Charles’s death means nothing, but...”

“Will _she_ make a play?” Janine asked, referencing the sister Sherlock had no idea he had, or so it seemed. She hadn’t liked Eurus, what she and her half-brother had cooked up. She’d wanted no part of it and had avoided her when she broke out of the solitary confinement she should have stayed in and went to see James.

“God, I hope not. That’s the last thing we all need,” Anthea said. “But if she does? It will change everything.”

Janine nodded, picking up her own tea and taking a sip. Her life had gone from one gamut to the other in terms of complications and maybe, one day, it would settle into something simple and uncomplicated. But today was not to be that day, apparently. “I’ll get the video file after tea.”

“Good,” Anthea said, and they slipped into silence. Life would probably never be completely uncomplicated, but perhaps doing the right thing for a man who deserved a second chance might help.

She hoped.


End file.
